ウェルギリウス『アエネイス』第六巻548-627「タルタルス」考

Abstract

The passage of Tartarus (Aen.VI.548-627) constitutes a secondary part of the narrative, for this is the only place Aeneas does not visit. He hears about it from the Sibyl. The construction of this passage : I ekphrasis topou. (the description of the place) II. The introductory questions of Aeneas III. The account of Tartarus told by the Sibyl a. The preparatory words b. Tartarus proper c. The conclusion I. The description of the place passes from a panoramic view of the castle of Tartarus to the gate and Tisiphone the gatekeeper. This ekphrasis is the setting for the account of Tartarus, for it makes us feel as if Aeneas were walking from the place where the road parts in two (one to Elysium, the other to Tartarus) , to the doorway of Tartarus. II. Aeneas hears the sound from inside the door. He puts two questions to the Sibyl, 'quae scelerum facies?' (what forms of crime are these?) and 'quibus urgentur poenis?' (with what punishments are they chastised?) . It is important to notice that the account of Tartarus deals mainly with these questions. III.a. In the preparatory words the Sibyl says that no pure souls may tread the threshold of Tartarus but Hecate taught her the punishments. This is an ingenious solution, as Austin says, of two problems, the source of the Sibyl's knowledge and its transmission to Aeneas. III.b. The account of Tartarus proper consists of four main elements : Rhadamanthus (the judge of the underworld) , Tisiphone-Hydra-Tartarus ipse-scene (the background of the description of sinners and sins) , four groups of sinners, and the categories of wrongdoers. On the other hand, the passage of the legendary heroes in Od.XI.568-627, which seems to be the model of the account of Tartarus of Aen.VI, consists of three main elements: Minos (the judge of the underworld) , four sinners, and Heracles. Thus it is obvious that Virgil imitates Homer in his composition of this passage. But it is also clear that two motives, 'sin' and 'punishment', prevail in the section of four groups of sinners and the categories of wrongdoers. So the construction of this section (in comparison with Od.) : [Table omitted] * The description of Theseus and Phlegyas is inserted into the categories of the wrongdoers in order to relieve the monotony of this section. III.c. The conclusion has two different aspects: one is that the Sibyl 'interrupts' the account of Tartarus in order to hurry on their journey to Anchises, and the other is that 'sin' and 'punishment' are consistent motives of this passage.